Fractured
by MissMintCoffeeMocha
Summary: "No more running, and no more experiments. This is our world now. Our home- not our hiding place." Max and the flock must deal with leading an island of mutants and getting society back up and running again. But just when they think they've done it, new problems arise from a source outside the island. Will their new paradise survive, or will it be destroyed? Post-Nevermore. FAX!
1. Establishing Society

**A.N. Hey, everyone! So I've had this idea for a Max-Ride story for a loooong time, and finally decided to write it! It takes place after Nevermore, where the whole island has just survived the apocalypse.  
****This story is kind of just about their new island life, and how Max and the flock get the island back up and functioning again. Having the population be full of mutants is going to add an interesting twist to their lives and relationships. And, contrary to what everyone believes, this island isn't the only place that has survived the apocalypse. I don't have it all scripted yet, so we'll have to see where my mind takes it!  
Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride or the characters: Jimmy Pats gets all the rights to them.  
So here is the first chapter, and happy reading, you guys!  
-Lexi**

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Chapter 1: Establishing Society

"Alright everybody," I yelled to the crowd standing before me, "settle down. We've got a lot of bases to cover here." Within seconds, I had everybody's attention. We were gathered in a large makeshift circle where most of the debris were cleared away for people to congregate around. The sun was nearly setting now, and we were using the last rays of light to full advantage.

I stepped forward on the wooden platform, the remains of one of the many lavish tree house bases, before standing firmly in front of the frantic survivors.

For those of you who don't know what's going on, let me bring you up to speed. My name is Maximum Ride, mutant bird freak and new leader of the apocalypse! The world was destroyed three days ago, and this large island has gone from paradise to ruin. Now, you may be wondering how this happened, and, frankly, I don't know all of the gory details either. But from the bits and pieces of info I've picked up on, there were a whole bunch of factors leading up to the end.

It all started with the school, where I was 'born', I guess. I was raised in a dog crate, along with my family; Fang, Iggy, Gazzy, Nudge, and Angel. We are genetically engineered humans, equipped with 2% bird DNA spliced along with our human genes. Thankfully, we don't have chicken legs or squawk at everyone we come into contact with. But we do have something that sets us apart from the rest; we have wings.

Yep. That's right. _Wings_. As in, we can fly, soar, swoop, dive, hundreds of feet in the air, going over two hundred miles an hour. Pretty impressive, right?

I used to not think so. Before the world had ended, up until the year before it happened, we had to hide what we were. We couldn't trust anyone, not even the humans that were closest to us, save for my mother and sister. Jeb, my biological father, had helped us escape when I was ten, rescuing us from that dreaded institution. But he disappeared, and we had thought he was dead.

Fast-forward a couple years, and we found ourselves attacked by Erasers – and no, not pencil erasers, either. Half-human, half-lupine (aka. _Wolves_), all deadly and thirsting for blood, they kidnapped Angel. But you guys know the story; how we ventured back to the school, reunited with Daddy dearest, and I had a date with destiny where I learned that I had to save the world.

But it looks as if nature had other plans. Apparently, the earth had begun its hidden decent into destruction over the last few decades, unbeknownst to modern scientists and astrologers. I still shudder at the chaos that took place when the world ended; it's almost like it was just a nightmare, or vague memory. Or something out of the movie, "2012", or another sci-fi movie of the like.

An asteroid had crashed into the ocean, creating a sonic boom that toppled trees and destroyed the island. The sky had fallen, with comets raining everywhere, and fire covering every inch of the land. I still have many burns on my face and arms, as well as many of the survivors here do.  
Then the tsunami wave had hit, taller than a skyscraper and probably wider than the state of Texas. And I was caught in the middle of it all, with my family (luckily) safe in the sheltered caves. Fang and I had faced the end together, and we had made it through. I'll touch more on the subject of him later.

But the weird thing is that even though it's been a few days… I can't recall life as it was before the world was this way. It seems like we're living in a weird time-space continuum. Everything feels different and surreal, but it's hard to picture life as it once was.

Here, even though we were broken and scared, we are free. The school is gone; demolished. No more running, tests, or experiments. We finally got our paradise- a twisted one at that, but we're finally _living_. The people here are like me and my flock; no, not all of them are bird-like- but they're genetically enhanced. Injected with DNA, born in a lab, have traits that biology never intended them to have. We're not the minority here. We fit in. This is our world now. Our home- not our hiding place.

I remember that the world before the end was crazy- crazier than it normally is on a day-to-day basis. The school was retaliating; the by-half plan was in effect, courtesy of twisted perfection-seeking extremist locos. We were still being tracked by crazed scientists. People were dying due to some mass-manufactured contagion created to 'rid the world of its impurities', or whatever they thought they were attempting to accomplish.

Sometimes I'm glad the world _has_ ended; it seems less screwed up now than it was before.

I always feel guilty when I think that way though- a lot of good innocent people died as pawns in the scientists' quest for power and perfection. In some ways, the world ending as a result of falling space rocks and rushing waves was a blessing; the by-half plan would have been much less humane.

And now, the survivors of this Armageddon, an account that we like to call 'The Fracture', peer up at me, fear and anticipation in their eyes. I spot my mother and Ella in the crowd, and mom gives me a small reassuring smile.

My palms are sweaty, and I tighten my fists. This is almost as nerve-wracking as speaking in front of congress for the first time. Except this time, lives are depending on my decisions. The course of the future could be set right now, as we are trying to establish the base of the new world.

Let's hope I'm as good at motivational speaking as I am at eating chocolate chip cookies.

"Okay," I start off, clearing my throat. "I know that the world has turned to crap and our new homes have been destroyed." I paused for a second before moving on. "Yes, it sucks that we're homeless. It's a shame that we're on our own now, just us. And...It's a tragedy that lives were lost. Especially for those who didn't deserve it."

The crowd nodded, and a few of them broke out into muffled sobs. My heart clenched. Some of the people here had lost loved ones and families, and for once I was thankful that I didn't have any ties to others outside of my immediate family. One teen placed her arms around a weeping girl, trying to comfort her as best she could.

I glance over at my flock, all standing solemnly to the back left of the stage; my own personal comfort. I met Fang's somber eyes and he nods slightly, conveying that he's right here with me.

I turned back to the crowd. "But we shouldn't focus on what has happened; we should instead try to consider how we can move ahead."

An angry boy around nineteen years old shouted from the crowd; "And how do you expect us to do that?" he glared at me, his fists clenched by his sides. "How can you tell us to move on, when we've just lost… _everything_," His voice wavered, and moisture gathered in his eyes. "When you've lost the people you love. When you know that there's no way to ever get them back? How can you tell us to forget about them _dying_?"

Tears began falling to his face as sobs racked his body. He looked up at me expectantly, knowing that I didn't have the perfect answer. Similar cries reflected his statement, and a lump rose to my throat.

"I don't expect you to." I shake my head, trying to fight the urge to tear up along with them. There was so much heartbreak here, as the pain of loss was new and in full force. "No one could ever expect you to. You didn't let me finish- I meant that we should focus on how we should move ahead in this world, and not on the _destruction_ of the previous one.

"But you should never forget," I continue, stepping towards the boy as he clamps his hands around his mouth to stop his shaky cries. "Hold on to those memories. The good and the bad. The people you loved and the people you've shared experiences with. It hurts. I know it does." The boy nodded, and desperation replaced the anger and misery in his gaze.

"We've all lost something or someone. Every last one of us. We're all broken, in some shape or form." He nodded again, closing his eyes as tears continued their path down his dirt covered cheeks. I turned my gaze back to the helpless mutants before me, each staring at me with wide reflective eyes.

"And even though we are weak; even though we are weary, tired and exhausted and hungry - Even though we are hurting and fighting to overcome the loss of those we once cared about… Know that we are all going through the same things. We are all fractured, and we are all struggling.

"But we don't have to struggle alone." I turned my gaze back to the boy to see that he had opened his eyes, and was wiping his face with the back of his hand. "We can help each other. We can learn from the mistakes of our past lives, and try to make it right in this one. If we all work together and carry the burden of our loss as one, it will be much easier to shoulder the weight of this new world."

I search through the faces in the crowd once more, my eyes resting on Mom and Ella's once again. Ella is wiping tears from her eyes, and her encouraging smile mirrors my mother's own. A large grin forms on my face as new motivation fills my heart.

"Everyone! We _can_ do this! We can survive, and we _will_ heal! It will take time; months, years, decades, maybe. It will be rough, and it will be hard to bear. But take comfort in knowing that it _will_ get better! We _will_ become stronger, and we will eventually be able to settle in as a new nation." Soft words of agreement rang out among the crowd, and I swear I could see some of them stand taller.

"Never give up on hope! Trust me, I've learned that the hard way." The crowd nods, the few still weeping slowly wipe the tears from their eyes.

The sun is almost set now, and the frayed landscape is bathed in pinkish-purpled hues, more vibrant now than it was before The Fracture.

"The one thing we need right now _is_ hope. Without it, we have nothing. We have to remain positive, and we have to work together. It is the only way we can truly _live_." More affirmative yells and hoots sounded around the clearing, and I stood firm, loosening the wings from my back a bit. The boy nods his head, allowing a miniscule smile to grace his lips.

"And even though I'm your leader, I want you to know that I need each one of you. I can't do this alone." More nods. "We need everyone to pitch in if we're going to make this work."

"So, what we're going to do is have another meeting tomorrow, when the sun is highest in the sky. Then we'll decide who will do what, and hopefully we can gain some structure in this crazy world." I look back to my flock, asking if they had anything to add.

Fang stepped up to my side, and I gave him a small smile before looking back out to the crowd.

"Think about what you can contribute," He started, his deep voice strong and powerful. "Like Max said, we're all going to have to work together. If you have a special skill or anything that you think may be of use to the community, please let us know." I nodded, and he continued. "If anyone has any talent in the field of medicines, or treatments, please tell us immediately. There are still some people that were injured in The Fracture that need your help _right now_."

He paused, and the crowd was silent. Then mom raised her hand, and I grinned at her.

"I have medical experience," She said, winking at me. I laughed. She was a veterinarian from Arizona, but she's taken care of me more times than I could count.

"Very good. Thanks, Mom." She smiled at me, squeezing Ella's shoulder. "Anyone else?" Two others raised their hands, and slowly, three more raised theirs as well.

"Excellent!" I grinned, clapping my hands together once. "This is great progress, guys! Alright, you who raised your hands, come with me. Everyone else, think about what you can do to help the group, okay? I think that's it for now, so I declare this meeting adjourned until noon tomorrow!"

The crowd began to shuffle back to the makeshift campsite around the clearing, and I breathed out a sigh. I think we were finally starting to get somewhere, and the thought was invigorating. I stretched, turning to Fang who was still standing beside me.

"Thanks for having my back, there." I said, grinning at him. He smiled his half-smile at me.

"Always." My heart clenched and I laughed, squeezing his hand before walking over to the small group of people gathering at the front of the platform. Along with my mom, Jeb and Dr. Abate were standing in the group, talking amongst each other. A black haired teenaged girl and a brown-haired little girl were standing to the side, holding hands. Two teenaged guys stood amongst themselves, and one of them was the boy who had spoken during the meeting.

I was glad that we had such a great turnout, although I was a bit skeptical towards the little girl, who couldn't be any older than Angel. She blinked up at me with her big hazel eyes, shuffling back slightly into the black haired teen's legs. I smiled at her. Yep, she totally reminded me of Angel.

"Okay, guys." I addressed, nodding at them and smiling once more at the girl. "Let's get to the caves. The injured can't wait much longer."

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**A.N. So what'd you think? Feel free to leave comments, and constructive criticism is greatly appreciated, as is every review!  
I also really love hearing you guys' ideas on how you think the story's going to go, and your predictions, so let me know!**  
**Review! :)**


	2. The Council

**A.N. Okay, here's the second chapter! Thank you to everyone who reviewed, and thanks for the positive feedback! I'm really happy that you guy's are liking this story! Hehe I love long reviews, so don't worry! **

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Chapter 2: The Council

"Okay, so who wants to be in charge of bathroom duties?" My 'Cabinet' all grimaces, shaking their heads. Save for the ten year old pyromaniac who has a deep love for anything to do with the wacky functions of the digestive system.

"It would be my honor!" The Gasman exclaimed, grinning mischievously. He rubbed his grimy hands together in excitement. You may wonder why he's called 'the Gasman', for people who are knew to this fandom. And take it from me – You don't want to know.

"Great!" I was just glad I had a taker. "Your exciting new job will include setting up… erm, 'poop places', for our lovely citizens, as well as-"

"She said 'poop'!" Total snickered quietly. I glared at the little Scottie as Angel covered her mouth to stop from giggling. Fang shot me a half-grin, and I rolled my eyes at him. "As I was saying, you'll also have to make sure that it stays somewhat clean in those areas, that way it doesn't get too disgusting and people don't get sick."

Nudge waved her hand in the air like a mad woman. I nodded at her. "Okay, well; I was just thinking - how in the name of Gandalf's beard are we going to keep that space clean?! I mean, it's going to be full of poop!" Total snickered again, muttering something about us 'killing him with our poop talk.' Who ever said that dogs couldn't be immature too? "And, like, where is it going to go? Is it going to be like a mound of poop? Because that would be pretty gross!"

"I was thinking more like a hole in the ground, Nudge." I explained, trying to hide my laughter. "Then Gazzy, who is highly qualified for this job, I might add," Gazzy nodded happily. "Will just make sure that the holes don't get too full, and make new ones if they are."

My 'cabinet', or my leadership team or whatever you want to call my decision making buddies, consisted of my most trusted people, for obvious reasons. Fang was my right-hand man, as always, and Iggy had taken on the roll as my co-commander. Although he calls himself the "Motivational Idea Inspirer", and prefers to talk in random British accents when providing suggestions. Don't ask. I'm assuming that he just likes to shake things up from time to time, which, admittedly, we all need in these somber meetings.

Nudge, Gazzy, and Angel all pitch in when they feel like it and help in thinking of tasks that we need to fill. And Jeb, Dr. John Abate and Mom do the same, although Father Dearest tends to try and give me advice during our meetings, which I always end up ignoring. Dylan is surprisingly a great voice of reason, and helps think of a bunch of different solutions for the millions of things we still need to cover, and Ella has elected herself as the record keeper. Which basically means that she writes down ideas and solutions in a half-burnt sparkly pink notebook that was salvaged from a drawer in Nudge's destroyed tree house.

So here we are, in our established meeting place; a small cave high in one of the rock cliffs, with a large flat-topped boulder as a makeshift table and a small fire atop its center for light. We're like the leaders of the cave people, it seems!

"So Gazzy will be the 'Poop Master'?" Angel squeaked, trying to hide her giggles. The flock burst out in laughter, and I couldn't help but laugh along with them. Gazzy stood up on the stone slab, puffing out his chest and flexing his scrawny bird-boy muscles.

"I… Am… POOP MAN!" Angel doubled over in laughter, and Iggy threw his head back as he laughed. I grinned at my family, happy that we were together. That we had all survived, and made it through the end. My eyes flicked to Fang's warm dark ones, happy and alive, and reflecting the fire's lively dancing flames.

But let's not get poetic, here.

"Okay, okay." Mom laughed, shaking her head at Gazzy as he spun in a circle and struck various poses. "Let's get back on track." You may wonder how Mom, Ella, and Jeb got up here. Well, we flew them up here, of course! I carried my mother, Fang carried John, Dylan carried Jeb, and Iggy carried Ella. Which he was super happy about, even though he pretended like he didn't care. Men. Pfft.

Gazzy jumped back to the ground with a flourish and sat back down on one of the many sawed off logs that were positioned around the stone table as seating.

"All right, all right- enough with the theatrics. What problem's next, Ella-bella?" Ella snorted at her nickname, and I beamed at her. Sisterly love at its finest!

"Hmm… Let me see…" She flipped to the previous page in the offending pink book of records, skimming her finger along the lines. "How about what we're going to do for shelter?"

"That seems important." Jeb nods, smiling heartily. I squelch my desire to snort at him. Me and him aren't exactly 'sim-pat-ico' at the moment. And his never failing ability to state the obvious doesn't help me like him any more than usual.

"Yeah, no duh." I muttered. "Okay, any ideas?"

"I could lead the building team." Fang voiced from his seat to my left. "See if we can salvage anymore materials from the tree houses. It wouldn't be hard to come up with some plans." I grinned at him and nodded. Fang was crafty; he could definitely pull that off.

"Yeah! You could totally make some t-pees or something!" Nudge exclaimed from her seat by Ella, resting her arms on the big rock table. "We could be like the Indians! Except we can't really harvest the land, since we need more seeds and the plants that we did have are burnt to a crisp just like Max's cooking used to be-"

"Hey!"

"-so now we can't farm the pastures and stuff. Well, not like this island _had_ pastures in the first place. Hey, Max? What are we going to do for food?" That was a question that had been bothering me since we had gotten the caves open and seen all of the people that we would have to provide for. The cave shelter had had a storage room with enough food stocked up to last the whole population about three weeks, give or take a couple of days.

But after those three weeks were up? We were on our own, with no known source of food. Granted, we haven't gotten the opportunity to scout the whole island yet, but the immediate area that we were located in was nothing but black soil and scorched trees. I think Fang said something about me and him taking a spin around the island after this meeting to do a little recon, which I was highly anticipating. But duties come first and Fang and I come later.

"We're still working on that, Nudge. I've thought about fishing, but we might want to make sure that the fish aren't radioactive or something." I turn to the adults in the group. "Are there any Geiger Counters or anything in the caves? Any lab equipment we can use to test for harmful rays or toxins?"

"Hmm…" John says, scratching his scruffy chin. I'm amazed by how fast facial hair can grow. It's only been about three days since his last shaving, and he's already almost got a full beard! Jeb too, but not as much as Dr. Sasquatch over there. "We have a bunch of lab equipment stocked up in one of the cave's makeshift first-aid offices, but I wasn't the one who did the stock checking. Valancia, would you happen to know?"

Mom shook her head, rubbing at her arm. "Not a clue. We could always check in the morning, though." I nodded, turning back to the rest of the group.

"Okay. So that solution is still pending. What about records? There must be files of the people here, just so we can get a count of how many of them we'll have to feed and shelter.

"Plus ve can better divide zem up based on skill sets and zer special talents," Iggy voiced in a slow drawl, going for the Russian accent this time. "Zat may help us lots."

"Thank you, Rasputin." I looked back at Jeb. "Do you know about any files?" Jeb nodded.

"They're in the records office in the caves, way in the back." He said, leaning forward on the table. "It might pose a problem to get back there, though. A portion of the caves collapsed when the sky fell, so it might be inaccessible."

"Okay. We'll have to work on clearing that out." Nudge waved her hand in the air again, a bright smile on her face. "What is it?"

"Just a question; what are we going to do for clothes?" Leave it up to the fashionista of our gang to want to install post-apocalyptic style into this destroyed world of ours. "Because I can totally scrounge up something. I mean, I know I don't have very many materials to work with, but I can weave together some plants, or some spare fabric from the cave's storage to make some new wardrobes. Because, seriously, we all need them." I looked down at my holey singed t-shirt and jeans with large rips in the sides. The rest of the flock wasn't much better. "See what I mean? And I'll bet I can make them look stylish, too!"

"I have no doubt in my mind that you can, Nudge." I said. "Ells, sign Miss Chatterbox up for fashion duty." Nudge squealed with joy, no doubt already beginning to develop designs in her head as Ella marked it down in the notebook.

"What about education and schooling?" Dylan's smooth voice questioned from his seat beside Iggy. He had been quiet this entire meeting, and currently looked like he was going to pass out. Had he not been sleeping lately? I'd have to interrogate him about that later. "We should really try to endorse those things, since we don't want our descendants to be uneducated dummies." I snorted, earning a small smile from 'Mr. Perfect'.

"An excellent point. At the meeting tomorrow, I'll have to make an announcement about needing teachers to help with the kids. And even if they don't have experience, the adults could always train them. Okay." I clapped my hands together, looking around at my council. "Anything else that we need to address right at this moment?" The group all shrugged, shaking their heads. Except for Mom, who was smiling warmly at me with slightly watery eyes. I cocked my head to the side.

"What's up?" I asked. Mom laughed softly, shaking her head.

"It's just…" She began, wiping away a few tears that fell down her cheeks . "You're so grown up."

I laughed, and a deep uninvited blush colored my cheeks. "Yeah. I'm getting old." I agreed. The group laughed, and I couldn't help the warm feeling that settled in my heart. My family was here, all of the people I cared about, together. I felt… normal, for once. Normal and happy. It was a strange feeling.

"No, honey," Mom said, shaking her head again. "I meant that you're taking charge, trying to take care of all of us. And you're doing such a good job, with pulling everything together." She paused and my heart swelled as she beamed up at me. "I'm proud of you, Max."

The rest of the flock nodded, grinning at me. I drew in a shaky breath, smiling at them all. Having her with me, the flock here with me, finally able to live with my biological mother, sister, and family all at the same time… Well, It made me feel more loved then I'd ever felt before.

"Thanks, Mom." I said, trying hard not to run to her and give her a huge hug. But we were still in the meeting, and I had to keep my leader-face on. "You know I couldn't do it without each and every one of you." I said, smiling at all of them. Angel made a 'heart' with her hands, and I copied her, grinning when she giggled. Jeb smiled sadly, looking at his hands. "And I do mean _all_ of you." Jeb looked up at me and I forced a smile at him. He grinned back at me. The world was different now. And even though I'd never forget the things he'd done to us, there was no sense living in the past any longer.

"I don't really say it enough, but I want you guys to know… That I love you." Okay, cue more blushes from me. The flock all cooed, 'aww-ing' at me, and I shrugged, taking their teasing.

"You mean you love _Fang_?" Iggy smiled mischievously, wiggling his eyebrows. I gaped, and the catcalls grew louder. Fang smirked at me, his eyes full of mischief. But there was a bit of warmth to them that wasn't there before, and my heart started to pound inside my chest. I stuttered as I looked at him, seeing his true feelings reflected in his eyes. I looked away quickly, trying to avoid any sign that Iggy had been right.

But unfortunately, my face muscles got the better of me, and a huge cheesy grin broke out across my face.

"Awww! Look at Max blush!" Ella teased.

"That's so freaking adorable, guys!" Nudge exclaimed, placing her hands against her face.

"Okay, okay," I said, trying to calm them down as they laughed at my reaction. I purposefully didn't look into Fang's eyes, knowing that I probably wouldn't be able to look away, and geez; _that_ would be bad for my reputation. "Settle down, people. I meant that I love you _all_, not just Fang."

"Sure you do, Max…" Angel cooed, resting her head on her palm.

"The mind reader has spoken!" Iggy declared, pointing his finger up to the sky.

"You guys are impossible!" I huffed, sitting back down in my seat next to Fang. He lightly wrapped his ankle around my own, and I ignored him, grumbling and crossing my arms over my chest. My council laughed, and for the next couple hours, we teased and bantered, enjoying each other's company. The fire continued to flicker, illuminating the cave in a warm orange glow.

And when the fire dwindled and all that was left were ashes, we filed out of the cave, opening our wings to carry the wingless back down to the campsite.

**A.N. Time for some FAX in the next chappie!  
Review! :)**


	3. Night Flight

**A.N. Okay, guys: I am so sorry that it took me so long to upload this one! I've been battling with intense writers block for this chapter for so long! I had previously had this chapter written, but when I went back and re-read it, I realized it didn't have the depth and playfulness that I wanted for Max and Fang.**  
**So I had decided to re-write it, and came up with this chapter after a bajillion times of writing and starting over, so hopefully you guys will enjoy it! It's a little bit longer than I usually write my chapters, but it's full of FAX! **  
**Thank you to everyone who reviewed/followed/favorited last chapter! I really loved hearing your input, and I'm so glad that you guys are enjoying the story! **

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Chapter 3: Night Flight

For all of you non-winged in the world, flying is one of the most amazing things that can ever be experienced. Being up this high, away from everyone and everything, every problem and worry- well, it's wonderful. Especially when you're soaring on a peaceful night like this.

And _extra_-especially when you have a winged best friend/boyfriend to escape with you.

I sighed happily as the tropical wind whipped against my face, filling my lungs with fresh air. My wings were flapping powerfully behind me, helping me gain altitude and wheel through the sky. Fang was flying in sync beside me, close enough for our wing tips to brush on every down stroke.

The night was as peaceful as it had been for the past couple of nights; up this high, a comforting breeze washed away the constant sweltering heat of the island. Since a lot of the shade had been lost in The Fracture, it made the hot and sticky weather even worse. And unfortunately, the island didn't come equipped with automated fans and central air conditioning.

But even though some of the greenery was gone, the island still looked like it was taken straight out of a postcard. The hilly peaks of the burnt rainforest made up the forested landscape below us. Bordered by the ocean, the waves lapped leisurely on the numerous strips of white sand that made up the island's beaches. The trade winds from the seemingly endless ocean gently blew the green palm leaves. Everything seemed exotic and relaxing. Like heaven on earth.

I glanced over at Fang, flying silently beside me. His midnight wings- larger than mine- flapped almost inaudibly behind him, keeping him aloft just like mine were doing. The moon lit his olive colored skin, making him appear as gorgeous as the night sky. We hadn't really had time to talk in a while, just the two of us. We've been so busy with meetings, scavenging, and public speeches since The Fracture that alone time with him was almost impossible. Seriously, I think the last time we've been truly alone was just moments before the first tsunami hit three days ago.

And frankly, I missed him. Even though he was always with me during most of said activities, we didn't have time to be together as a couple. After all, I am the leader and he is my number one confidant- we have our jobs to do.

Fang noticed me staring at him and turned his head to face me. My heart gave a pang at his features, so familiar and wonderful and mine. His lips quirked up into his signature half-smirk and he glided over to me.

He positioned himself above me, slowly synchronizing our wings so he could maneuver closer and closer. I blushed, even though we'd done this a number of times before, flying so closely together that our bodies were almost touching. His wings brushed against mine from above, and I could feel his warm breathing against my hair, causing my pulse to skyrocket.

His olive-toned hand came down from over my shoulder, stretching for my own. I immediately reached up and grasped it, loving the feeling of my hand held tightly in his.

"How are your wings holding up?" Fang asked, talking into my ear so I could hear him better over the wind.

"They're holding. It feels good to stretch them."

Truthfully, they were aching a bit. When The Fracture had happened, Fang and I had both been knocked out of the sky by the sonic blast- the first wave of destruction to hit the island. And when I had landed… well, I had been less than graceful. I had broken my wing, and Fang had set it up with a splint. But given our super-duper bird genes that allowed us to heal three times as fast, my wing was almost completely back to normal.

"Yeah- we haven't been able to in a while." Fang said, voicing my thoughts from earlier.

The flock and I haven't been able to fly hardly at all the past few days- we were always busy with one task or another. And since most of the island's population of mutants, a few humans, and one of two dogs couldn't fly- well, we were pretty much grounded.

"Nope." I agreed, staring at the ground below us.

"It won't always be like that," Fang reassured, squeezing my hand. "Once we have this whole settling issue figured out with the island, we'll have the rest of our lives to do what we want." Call me impatient, but I couldn't wait until that day came.

"That's so weird to think about," I noted absentmindedly, watching the tiny waves lap against the white-sanded beach, just a thin strip below us. "That we don't have to run anymore. That we don't have to worry about the future. If we're going to live to see tomorrow… Where we're going to stay."

"I know," Fang murmured lightly into my ear. "We're finally home."

_Home_. Just like back in Colorado in the E-shaped house, or at my mother's old home in Arizona. I haven't had that sense of safety and warmth that a home brought since then… but I was beginning to.

We coasted on an air current for a moment, flying further inland. Parts of the forested mountains were covered with mist- the effect of the ground's warmth meeting the night's cool air. I couldn't stress enough how dream-like this place was.

"How did your group do today in the caves?" Fang asked.

He was talking about the small group of volunteers I had rallied during the meeting this afternoon who had medical experience or some sort of skill with healing. We had spent a few hours in the caves today before I had to fly off to the council meeting, healing most of the people who needed critical treatments. All in all, everything had gone smoothly. I couldn't have been more relieved.

"Outstanding. They really have some amazing potential. Especially this kid, Mason? He's the one who interrupted my speech this afternoon."

Fang nodded. "Yeah, I remember him."

"He's able to take away people's pain just by touching them. It's like he's a human anesthetic! And his friend, Logan, is able to sense pain and diagnose injuries like it's nothing. It's crazy. Mom and Jeb were really impressed with them."

And honestly, even if they didn't have healing powers I would have been impressed with them. They were wonderful with the wounded, calming them down and talking to them gently. Logan was able to sense what was wrong with them almost immediately, would then pinpoint the damage, and Mason would ease their pain. They were like a super-team of healers.

"They sound like they'll be really helpful."

I nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you got that right. But I couldn't quite figure out why the two girls were there. Victoria and Lilia- they just kind of stood off to the side and watched."

"Maybe they're shy?" Fang suggested. "This has been a lot for them to take in, y'know."

"The little girl is _definitely_ shy. She hid behind Victoria's legs the whole time I tried talking to her."

"Well, you are the head honcho here, Max. You might be a bit intimidating to the younger ones." I snorted and Fang grinned into my hair.

"I wonder how kids view you, then." I wondered aloud. Fang could be downright scary when he wanted to be with his all-black wardrobe and matching hair, wings, and dark brown eyes that looked black in the right lighting. Paired with his usually stoic expression and silent strength, he put off the 'don't-mess-with-me-or-you're-toast' vibe.

Plus he had a death glare that rivaled my own, which is really saying something.

"I dunno. I'm not their leader." He countered, shrugging.

I scoffed. "Yeah, yeah," I said, trailing off. But something still seemed really strange about the two girls in the medical center today.

I sighed. "I talked to Victoria a bit afterwards, but she didn't say much. Though I _did_ learn that they're sisters… And that Lilia is mute," I finished. My heart ached for her- she had to be only about eight years old.

"That's a tough break," Fang sympathized. "No wonder she's a bit skittish."

"Yeah. She reminds me of Angel." I smiled. "She's really cute. She looks up to her sister like a mother."

"That definitely sounds like you and Angel." Fang said warmly, and my heart did a little kick.

"I wonder if our relationship will always be like that. Me and Angel, I mean."

Angel had always been my baby. She was like my daughter, even though we're only nine years apart. And I was like her mother. We had had our differences and fights, but we were back to how we'd always been, and I was loving it… But I wondered if she would still depend on me just as much as had, now that we're living in a permanent place with other genetic mutants like us.

"She will," He said in a serious voice. "She loves you. You're always going to be her mom. Maybe she'll spread her wings a bit-no pun intended," I grinned, "and she'll meet new people." Fang squeezed my hand again, continuing. "But she'll always be your little girl, Max." His words echoed in my mind and my throat threatened to close. Fang always knew how to make me feel better.

"Thanks, Fang," I whispered, swallowing thickly.

He turned his head and placed a soft kiss on my hair, right above my ear. "S'what I'm here for." He returned, making me feel all kinds of special.

We continued to coast over the land, heading towards the ocean on the opposite side of the island from the caves. Having flown over most of the huge expanse of the island, I got a full understanding of just how big of an area belonged to our new home. Gazzy and Iggy would definitely have fun exploring. I just hoped that there weren't many poisonous bugs or snakes lurking about.

We gradually flew closer inland over the canopy of trees, birds stirring from their sleep and scattering as we soared overhead. Colorful macaws flew below, their vivid feathers darkened by the night sky. I heard monkeys hooting from the treetops, the calls of rainforest wildlife. It was breathtaking. Fang pointed out a small flock of Toucans as they glided under us. I watched them perch on an extended tree branch as we passed, high above the canopy.

All of a sudden, I caught site of one of the most breathtaking things I've ever seen in my life.

"Fang, let's go exploring." I suggested, excitement bubbling in my stomach.

And his response was "Lead the way."

* * *

"Wow! Fang, this is amazing!"

I couldn't believe the sight in front of me. A huge waterfall thundered down from a large rock cliff and collected in a wide pool of dark teal water. The moon shone on the falls, bathing the water in a white glow. It was hands down the most beautiful site I'd ever seen in my life.

Fang let out a low whistle, gazing at the view with awe. "Beautiful," He murmured darkly, and I shook my head in disbelief at the site in front of me.

"That's definitely an understatement." It looked like our paradise just got even more heavenly. I gazed up at the sky, blanketed by light mist from the falls. The moon shone from high above, lighting up our surroundings and reflecting on the calm water.

Fang walked towards the edge of the rocky embankment, covered in green moss and moisture, and sat down in front of the pool. He began unlacing his boots, and I walked up beside him.

"What are you doing?" I asked him curiously, sitting down by his side. He set his boots behind him and smirked at me, beginning to take off his- get this- _black_ socks.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" He countered, rolling up his pant legs to his knees. Leaning back on his hands, he slipped his legs into the calm water, sighing.

He looked at me with a half-smile. "Care to join me?" I grinned and copied him, pulling off my brown boots and socks. And after a few seconds, my legs were resting in the water beside his own.

I made a sound of contentment at the coolness of the water, lightly kicking my feet. It felt wonderful on my warm skin. I leaned back on my hands like Fang was doing and gazed up at that wonderful waterfall once again.

"I wonder if anyone knows this exists." I pondered, watching some more tropical birds swoop in front of the falls and up into the many jungle trees that surrounded the clearing.

"I don't know," Fang said, "but they're sure missing out."

"Yeah. We'll have to bring the flock here- they'd love it." I could just picture Gazzy doing cannonballs off the top of the falls, and Angel shouting out scores to him below.

"Mmhmm," He agreed, his lips quirking up. "They sure would."

We sat in silence for a bit, enjoying the sound of the waterfall and jungle noises. I took everything in: the stars, the trees, the water; all the animals that passed by and the flowering plants in the moonlight. _Fang_. Everything. I looked over at him to see a small smile on his relaxed face. He lightly trailed his feet through the water, the picture of ease. His eyes were closed and he looked the most tranquil I had ever seen him.

I'd like to say that my eyes stayed focused on the beautiful waterfall and my mind on the crystalline water against my feet, but that would be a lie. I'd also like to say that I didn't instead gaze openly at Fang's relaxed face- a rare look for him, but that would be an even bigger lie. And if I said that sparks didn't shoot up my leg every time his foot accidentally brushed mine…

Well, you get the gist.

"I can feel you staring," Fang commented suddenly, blinking his eyes open. I blushed to my toes and opened my mouth as Fang looked at me, laughter in his gaze.

"Um, you just…" I racked my brain for a witty comeback, but for once in my life, none came. "You look peaceful," I finally settled, pushing some hair behind my ear.

Fang shrugged. "I am. Aren't you?"

"Of course I am. How could I not be?" Sitting with my feet in a jungle lake, a waterfall raging before me with the boy that knew me more than I did relaxing at my side… It was like a never-ending vacation.

"...You probably wouldn't be if I told you that there's a snake slithering towards you right now."

I immediately tensed up and I went into panic mode. I hated snakes with a passion- they were all scaly and awful and dangerous. Not to mention, they were my biggest fear. I turned frantically, half expecting a snake to be right in my face.

But instead what I got was a shove sideways into the cool blue water.

"ARGGHH!" I yelled, getting a mouthful of jungle water. For a moment I was submerged underneath the darkness, bubbles escaping my mouth. My feet scrambled against the sandy bottom of the pool. And then I kicked upwards and broke the surface, gasping for breath.

I wiped the hair from my face and then rubbed at my eyes, blinking them open. Fang was hunched over on the embankment, laughing. He had his arms wrapped over his stomach and eyes partially closed as he cackled.

"That was too good!" Fang wheezed out from between peals of laughter, watching me swim up to the rock by his legs. Unfortunately, Fang knew that I was crazy scared of snakes. That jerk.

"I'm going to kill you," I growled, reaching for his foot. He laughed again, yanking his feet out of the water before I could grab him.

"You look like a wet kitten," He teased, tugging on a piece of my damp hair. I tried to grab his hand to pull him in but he was too fast for me.

"I hate you," I murmured, glaring at him. Lifting myself up on my arms, I moved to get out of the pool. Truthfully, the water felt amazing, but I wasn't going to let Fang know that.

Fang only laughed at me again, staring into my eyes. And then I had an idea.

"Fang, why don't you come closer?" I asked, faking sweetness, relaxing a bit into the water.

Fang rolled his eyes, a bright smile on his lips. "Okay- even for you, that was terrible acting."

"Just come here," I ordered, reaching out to him with one hand while the other supported my weight on the embankment. I knew that he was aware of what I was up to, but he leaned closer anyways, never taking the grin off his face. He shifted onto his knees, bending down towards me.

"Closer," I murmured, tilting my head up as his face came within an inch of mine.

Fang shrugged. His smile was blinding. "Eh, I'll take the bait," He said, and he closed the distance between us and pressed his mouth to mine.

Electricity zinged through my body and I immediately wrapped one of my arms around his neck, leaning up farther to kiss him better. My eyes fluttered shut automatically, lost in the feeling of Fang and his warmth. Fang held my face in his hands, tilting his head to kiss me more deeply. Our lips moved roughly together, and I realized just how much I've missed kissing him. I brought my other arm up to his neck, now fully leaning on him, and snaked a hand to the back of his head. I tangled my fingers in his silky hair, pulling him gently closer to me.

If Fang knew what I was doing he didn't try to stop me as I drew him closer to the water, never detaching our lips. I began to sink farther in, Fang following my lead, not wanting my lips to leave his.

And within seconds, Fang was submerged in the pool.

We immediately broke apart, both swimming to the surface in sync, laughing.

Fang chuckled, pushing his wet hair back from his face with his hand. I couldn't help but grin at him as I concentrated on treading water.

The pool was a little less than six feet deep at the edge of the rock, so Fang was able to stand easily on the sandy lake floor with his head above water. My 5'8" self? Not so much.

"I knew you were short," Fang teased, noticing that I couldn't touch the bottom. "But I didn't know you were _that_ short."

"I knew you were smitten with me," I retorted, "But I didn't know you were _that_ smitten with me."

"Oh, please," Fang dismissed jokingly, brushing my sides. "I knew what you were doing the whole time."

"Yeah, yeah, hot stuff." I muttered, coughing when I got water in my mouth.

Fang wrapped his arms around me and lifted me up, water splashing around us at the movement. He pulled me closer until my eyes were level with his own.

I raised my eyebrows at him, smirking.

"It's so you don't drown," He explained quietly, giving me his half-smile.

"Keep telling yourself that," I countered, placing my hands on his shoulders. I met his dark eyes.

And then we were kissing again.

**A.N. Please Review! And constructive criticism is always welcome! :)**

**Fun fact, I drew inspiration from Pirates of the Caribbean... Maybe Fang is Max's 'jolly sailor bold!' **


	4. The Caves

**A.N. Thank you to everyone who reviewed from the last chapter! Just a random question: If you had to pick anyone to play Fang, who would you pick? I know a lot of people (including myself) are partial to Avan Jogia as Fang, but I'm just curious!  
Enjoy! **

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Chapter 4: The Caves

"Maybe if we can take out that desk, the rocks will be loosened enough to clear a path?" Dylan suggested, pointing towards a broken metal desk buried in chairs and loose stones. A huge wall of large rocks was situated on top of it, and the desk seemed to be supporting its weight.

"That would be really dangerous, though," I said, kicking over a toppled chair. Dylan and I were in the caves with Jon, trying to figure out a way to get past the giant rocks towards the tunnels, and ultimately, the room that held the files. "Take the desk out, and the rocks could collapse on us."

"Max is right," Jon agreed, stroking his brown beard in thought. "But first things first; we need to clear these desks and chairs away before we do anything else.

"Gotcha'," I replied, moving next to Dylan and lifting a desk from the pile of mangled metal in front of the wall. It was about seven in the morning, I guesstimated, since the sun had risen a little less than a full hour ago. When the Fracture happened, it messed up all of the radio frequencies and clocks. It sucked for trying to keep records, but Ella was making due all right.

The caves were designed to look like a facility, as much as I hated it. There were many hallways and rooms, and the walls and floors were a white tile. Halfway through the main hallway past the atrium, or central room where the cave opened to the sky, was the largest cave-in. The ceiling had collapsed on the small space, blowing debris and desk chairs out of one of the central monitoring rooms and into the hallway.

The rocks that were held back by the ceiling had fallen at an angle, shattering some of the white tiles and distributing them across the floor. We had set our flashlights on a couple intact chairs that we pulled from other rooms and pointed them towards the collapsed wall, helping us see a little better. Although Dylan and I had enhanced vision, courtesy of our bird genes, Dr. Abate did not.

A lot of the fluorescent lights had been broken in this area, and the ties from the generator to their outlets had snapped with the destruction of the ceiling. It was dusty in the hallway. Dusty and dark. It seemed like we were in some kind of horror movie- I half expected a zombie to jump out of one of the many doorways any moment now.

You may wonder why we're trying to access the back area of the caves now, just hours before my big assignment meeting in front of the whole island population. I had talked it over with Fang last night, and this morning with Jon and Jeb. If we had those files, we could categorize people based on skill sets, and we could make sure that everyone was accounted for. In a big meeting that would set the whole foundation for the rest of our lives on this island, it was definitely needed.

Plus, another definite perk of clearing the cave-in: the tunnel to the underground city beneath the cave system would become available again. Not that I'd ever want to live my life away from the open sky, but just in case of another huge storm or epidemic, the city would come in handy.

So long story short, the two men had agreed, and we had set off to the caves before Mom stole Jeb away to help her operate on a mutant who was still in critical condition. The medical wing was down another hallway in the caves, closer to the entrance than the cave-in was. The injured were held there, as well as most of the medical utilities we had at our disposal. Dylan had witnessed the whole thing and had decided to come along, wanting to help out as much as he could so we wouldn't be pressed for time.

I was thankful that I had these two guys with me. Nudge had wanted to come along as well, but Ella pulled her aside to help with her records. Iggy had been helping hand out food rations with Angel, and Fang had already headed out to scavenge for building materials and set up some housing plans by the time we decided to go.

I wiped my eyes tiredly, moving to pick up another chair. Fang and I had flown back late last night, landing back at camp at around two-ish, I assumed. The time together had definitely been welcome. After we had broken apart from our lip-locking session, we had launched ourselves out of the water and into the air. We had flown out over the ocean, letting the cool night breeze dry us off, and we had talked and laughed, just like old times. It had been nice.

Okay, maybe a lot more than nice. I just wished we could have times like that more often. But I kept reminding myself that once the new world was structured and in order, we could. We would have all the time in the world to be together. The time might not come for a while, but it was definitely in our future.

The thought made me giddy.

The screeching of metal against stone jarred me out of my thoughts as Dylan tried to move a desk from under a heavy pile of debris by himself. I rushed over to him, lifting up some of the ends and platforms of the chairs to help him, and he smiled at me, maneuvering the desk out. Once he had pushed it out from under the pile, I let the weight of the metal drop. Some of it clamored to the floor, while others hung suspended, attached to other pieces.

Dylan stretched, his back popping. I noticed that the dark circles under his eyes had grown even deeper than last night- he looked disheveled and sickly.

"Hey, Dyl?" I asked, walking over to him. Jon raised his head, then went back to moving chairs.

"Are you alright?" I whispered, trying not to alert Jon again.

"I'm just peachy-keen," He mumbled drowsily, grinning tiredly at me with his perfect pearly whites.

So a little back story on Dylan, if you're not caught up: Dylan was created by Whitecoats, just as we were. But instead of being born from actual human DNA, he had been cloned from the original Dylan, who had either died or been retired in the past. He had to learn a lot over the past couple months- he was only four years old age wise when we were first introduced to him. This had been in Africa, where I… well, I learned that he was designed to be my "perfect other half."

Which caused tension between me and Fang, and Fang and Dylan, and _me_ and Dylan… And it was a huge mess of a love triangle. When Fang had ran off to start his own gang, Dylan and I had gotten close, even dated each other for a while. And although Dylan is uber sweet, has looks that can rival any Abercrombie and Fitch model, and is as close to perfect as one can get…

He wasn't my soul mate. He wasn't _Fang_. And although Dylan and I have a special connection… Fang and I have something that goes beyond any of that. We just belong, somehow. We always have. But things have been really rocky between me and Dylan, ever since I had chosen Fang. It's understandable, really- growing up, believing you're in love with someone, only to have them choose someone else. I felt terrible that it had to happen that way.

But it had, and I couldn't change how it went down.

"Are you sure?" I asked again, scrutinizing his features. "Are you sick? What do you feel like?"

He chuckled breathlessly, spiking his dirty brown hair back with his hand.

"Honestly, Max." He said, moving past me to get some more debris and place it along the cave wall in a pile like he was doing the other ones. "I'm fine. Just tired."

"Have you not been sleeping lately?" I questioned, helping him untangle some of the metal chair arms. Dylan sighed, hesitating. "Dylan, come on. You look like crap. What's going on?"

Dylan barked out a laugh, looking like he was going to fall over.

"You don't sugarcoat it, do you?" He observed, his eyes glinting in humor.

I grinned at him. "Never have, never will. Now what's up?"

He wobbled a bit, and I steadied him with my hand. He glanced down at where it rested on his arm, entranced by it, before meeting my gaze with his ocean blue eyes.

I slowly removed my hand, feeling uncomfortable as Dylan searched my eyes. He smiled regretfully after a few moments, rubbing his head before stepping away from me and walking back towards the pile.

I shook off the awkward tension, trying hard to keep my leader face on.

"Look, if you don't want to tell me, fine." There was no point trying to force him. "But at least tell my mom or one of the other doctors so you don't end up keeling over."

I could feel his eyes on me from where he stood a few feet away, but I didn't meet them. I had seen the longing in his eyes when he looked at me a few seconds ago. We hadn't broken up that long ago, after all- it was hard for me too, knowing that I had hurt him. I felt guilty, and he felt like it was his fault. If only there was some way that I could fix our friendship without encouraging him.

"Great job, guys!" Jon called, moving one of the last sections of chair away from the pile. "Now we can see what's going on with that cave-in."

I smacked the dirt off my hands after I dropped off the last of my pile, walking over to the now accessible desk in the center.

"Yep. It's definitely supporting the rocks," I commented, confirming what I had guessed all along. The desk was wedged under a round chunk of the cave ceiling, the weight of the stone bending the desk in the middle. I looked to Jon, unsure of what to do.

He gave me a reluctant look. "We can't risk it, Max. There's a great chance of it collapsing." I groaned, looking up to the ceiling.

"We don't have to move it." Dylan said, crouched in front of the desk. "The desk is holding up the rock, right? But if we can kick out the back of the desk, it might make a small crawl space that we could pass through to reach the other side."

"I think you'd need to be superman to kick through that plank of metal," I provided, gesturing towards the back of the desk. The desk had a metal back, where the leg-space was supposed to be.

"Well, we kind of have super strength, Max," Dylan explained, "since we're half bird and all."

"Really? I hadn't noticed." I deadpanned.

"Smart aleck," he mumbled, and I shot him a friendly smile.

"That might actually be possible." Jon agreed, kneeling beside Dylan. I bent over their shoulders, seeing what he meant. We didn't know how extensive the damage to the caves was on the other side, since the rock ceiling had fallen towards us at an angle. But if we kicked out the back, maybe we could get an idea…

"But if we kick it out, wouldn't it lessen the support?" I asked. In some desks, the back portions supported the top ones even more than the legs did.

"There's a risk." Jon said, looking at each of us. He settled his gaze on me as if to say, 'hey- It's your call'. I looked at Dylan, who was staring at me intently.

I let out an even breath, standing up and brushing my hair back from my face. I needed to think. This was a dangerous decision. Yet we needed the equipment from the back portion, as well as the files and medical books. We _needed_ them. And to have the caves open? We'd have an alternative place of shelter and safety.

But dying wasn't an ideal option either.

"Max," Dylan began, sitting on the floor with his feet under the desk. "I'll do it."

I shook my head at him. "No. Not until we know it's safe."

"It's safe enough." He dismissed, positioned his legs so that one of his feet was braced against the back of the desk, ready to push.

"Dylan, stop!" He looked up at me, one eyebrow raised. Jon was watching us, his gaze flickering back and forth between us. "Just… Wait, okay. I don't want you getting hurt." He rolled his eyes, leaning back on his arms.

"It's a little bit late to be thinking that way, isn't it?" He questioned seriously, his eyes sparking.

My mouth parted as I realized his words had a double meaning to them. Guilt tore through me as I remembered how I had welcomed Fang back with open arms when he had returned. How I'd pushed Dylan to the side of my heart, making room for Fang again. Part of me knew we would have to talk about this sooner or later.

But unfortunately, I wasn't as prepared to handle it as I thought I was.

"Dylan, I'm sor-"

"No. You don't get to be sympathetic. Not anymore." He hissed, his mood suddenly changing like the flick of a switch. Jon opened his mouth to say something, but Dylan wasn't having any of it. "Poor little Dylan, right? An idiotic clone, a waste of space. A setback to you and your little birdie romance with _Fang_."

His words stung badly, and the guilt only intensified as his feelings were thrown out into the open.

"I know we need to talk about this, but now's not the best time-"

"Then when will be the best time, Max? There _will_ be no good time. You're always busy with the flock. Fang. Leading the whole _freaking_ _world_." I swallowed thickly as he continued, his usually warm blue eyes now icy and cold. "Plus, even if there was time, you'd just avoid me. Set me back for later, not caring about how I'd have to wait."

fists clenched as his words soaked in. "Admit it, Max," He whispered coldly, his eyes boring into my own. "You knew that you'd chosen Fang way before you even broke up with me."

"Stop!" I snapped, glaring at him. My chest ached, and my throat felt thick. "Just stop! It wasn't like that, Dylan, and you know it! I didn't just _use_ you. I'm not some heartless person who likes to play with people's hearts!"

His face remained unemotional as he stared at me. We were both lost in our anger, in our frustration.

I held his stare, continuing. "I know that I hurt you. It hurts me to see that I'm the one who caused you pain. But I can't change what happened!"

He looked at me, jaw clenched. "No," He agreed after a short pause. "You can't."

My breathing was coming fast as I looked at him. Why couldn't he understand that I was sorry? That I didn't mean to hurt him? We remained locked in our stare down, each refusing to look away.

Jon pushed up his glasses, clearing his throat. "I'm aware that you two have some emotions to work through," He reassured softly, his voice echoing around the enclosed space. "But we're burning daylight down here, and we have the meeting in a few hours. We need to focus and work through what's happening _now_, and leave what's happened in the past for later."

I swallowed again, hesitating. Dylan kept his eyes on me, his stare icy, but a helpless look hid behind his eyes like a scared little kid. I looked away, ignoring my urge to talk this out and nodded at Jon. Out of the corner of my eye, Dylan closed his eyes, turning away from us.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Dylan said, the strength gone from his voice. Then without warning, he lifted his legs and thrust them hard against the back of the metal desk.

The metal banged as he dented it, the force of his kick reverberating through the room, making some of the plaster fall off of the portion of the fallen ceiling.

"Dylan…" I cautioned, fear rising in my stomach. But he continued as if he hadn't heard me, kicking the metal with all of his strength. Dust and small pebbles rained from the barrier of the cave-in, making the hallway seem more foggy than it had when we had entered. And just as I was about to grab him, the back of the desk clanged to the floor and he stopped, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Piece of cake." He panted, trying to sound like it was the easiest thing in the world, although his perfect features reflected how tired he was. Jon and I rushed over to him, and he scrambled his legs out from under the leg space after removing the metal. "And we're in luck- the debris aren't completely blocking the other side."

Jon rubbed his hands together enthusiastically, a large grin splitting across his face.

"That was really stupid, Dylan. But now we're getting somewhere." He exclaimed, and I nodded at him.

"Now we're faced with the next question: Is it safe to go through?" I asked. Jon's grin faded a bit as he calculated. "There was a lot of dust coming from the ceiling when he was kicking. That means that it's pretty loose, right? What if it comes down on us when we try to crawl through?"

"Hmm…" He thought, probing his beard again. He _really_ needed to shave. "Excellent point. Sadly, there's not much of a way to test it, except if someone were to go through-" He suddenly paused, then resumed with new urgency. "Dylan, we're still talking about this!"

I whipped my head around to where Dylan was supposed to be, only to see the back of his jeans as he crawled through the opening.

The sound of bending metal reverberated from under the desk from where he was trying to slip through the small place between the floor and the bent metal desk ceiling. Little pebbles fell from the rocky space between the roof and the desk, plopping on the ground. Dust began to form, and a sinking feeling pooled in my stomach.

Suddenly, Dylan tensed up, going stock still. Unmoving. Frozen.

He was having a vision- seeing the future. A power that he had developed a few months back.

"Guys," Dylan cautioned, panic undernoted in his voice, "I think-"

Then the ceiling began to crumble.

And now there was nothing to stop the rocks from crushing him.

"Dylan!" I screamed, reaching out to grab his legs as the rocks fell from the ceiling and down towards his body.

But it was too late.

With a loud 'CRUNCH', the rocks fell on top of the metal desk and to the ground. I scrambled back in time to avoid being smashed by a stone the size of a kitchen refrigerator, narrowly missing it. The cave rumbled, and I fell to the floor, curling into a ball and shielding my head with my arms, the way I'd been trained to do my whole life.

The shaking seemed to go on forever, and I squeezed my eyes shut tight, trying to block out the sound of falling rocks.

And after the crashing stopped, I lifted my head, immediately inhaling a thick cloud of dust. I coughed, doubling over and lifting the front of my shirt to my mouth, breathing through the material. I blinked my eyes rapidly, trying to regain my eyesight.

"Max?" Jon croaked from somewhere to my left, his figure partially illuminated from one of the flash lights that had fallen in the floor due to the rumbling.

But my attention was riveted elsewhere.

My eyes were locked on Dylan's unmoving sneaker-clad feet.

Which happened to be the only part of him that could be seen from underneath the two ton wall of rocks. 

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**A.N. Review! :) **


	5. Dylan

**A.N. Another apology for the long update! Once I get over this hurdle of a chapter, it should flow better! And this chapter will probably be one of the most serious chapters of the story. **

**Again, thank you to everyone who reviewed for this story! I love hearing your thoughts! **

**Warning: There is mention of gore in this one, but I tried not to make it too graphic!**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

Recap: _And after the crashing stopped, I lifted my head, immediately inhaling a thick cloud of dust. I coughed, doubling over and lifting the front of my shirt to my mouth, breathing through the material. I blinked my eyes rapidly, trying to regain my eyesight._

_"Max?" Jon croaked from somewhere to my left, his figure partially illuminated from one of the flash lights that had fallen in the floor due to the rumbling._

_But my attention was riveted elsewhere._

_My eyes were locked on Dylan's unmoving sneaker-clad feet._

_Which happened to be the only part of him that could be seen from underneath the two ton wall of rocks._

* * *

Chapter 5: Dylan

"Oh my God," My mom gasped as Jon and I wheeled Dylan into her makeshift doctor's office on a gurney.

Jeb immediately turned from his patient at the sound of Mom's voice, lowering the facemask from his mouth. His face paled as his eyes landed on Dylan's figure, but he was nowhere near as pale as Dylan was.

Mom rushed forward, hands covering her mouth, fighting down tears at the sight of Dylan's unconscious body. "How... how did this…" She trailed off, looking up at Jon.

Dylan looked like road kill, and that was putting it lightly. His body looked broken and beaten. 'He looks dead', I thought, before instantly trying to suppress that negative idea. My eyes skirted over him before quickly looking away, trying not to take in the grotesque image of his bent limbs and wings, his closed eyes, and all that blood...

"It was an accident," I whispered. "The rocks collapsed, and-and Dylan was…" Mom's eyes met mine, and I almost started crying. Almost. My eyes became glossy and itchy with tears, and I gulped thickly, trying to remain as calm as possible even though I was freaking out beyond comprehension on the inside.

"Valancia, he needs help," Jon butted in, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"What do we do, Mom?" I asked, choking on the words. My throat felt thick- like it was stuffed with cotton balls.

"We need to get him hooked up," Jeb ordered, collecting some IV's and other medical instruments from around the room. When he saw that Mom still hadn't moved, he stopped. "Valancia!"

Mom shook herself out of her stupor, swallowed, and looked at Jon. "Wheel him over to the corner," she pointed towards the back left corner of the room, "and we'll start the IV's." She quickly slipped into her doctor role, and she rushed over to Jeb where a small wheeling cart was stationed. She pulled out a small stock of sterile needles and medicines as Jon followed her orders.

Within seconds, Mom was monitoring his heart rate with a stethoscope, and Jeb was hastily setting up the IV's to Dylan's body. Jon looked at me from over their heads, and his solemn look mirrored my own.

"What can I do, Mom?" I asked helplessly, the moisture threatening to fall from my eyes as I watched Dylan get hooked up to so many wires and needles that I lost count. "Tell me how I can help."

"Honey, there's nothing you can do right now," Jeb said, concentrating on injecting a clear liquid into Dylan's shoulder. I tried to ignore that he called me 'honey', and the way the sight of the needles made my skin crawl.

"But there's got to be a way I can..." I trailed off, shuffling nervously as I awaited an order. Anything to keep preoccupied and of use. I was bad at just sitting around; I needed to help.

I received no answer. "Be patient, Max," Jon consoled, moving to stand beside me, not wanting to get in the way of the two of them. "All we can do right now is wait." Oh great. Because I was so good at waiting patiently.

I watched as Jeb cut Dylan's shirt down the middle, maneuvering it off his skin, sticky with blood to view what was below. I gasped and raised a hand to my mouth at the sight, feeling dizzy and sick. Jon noticed and grabbed my arm, holding me steady.

Long razor-sharp cuts adorned his chest and stomach, and the blood flow wasn't stopping.

Mom swore loudly in alarm, grabbing some gauze and large strips of cloth. She pressed them into his wounds in an attempt to stop the bleeding, but it looked as hopeless as trying to use a piece of bubblegum to stop a leaking wall with twenty holes in it.

"Jon!" Mom cried, and he rushed over to her. "Hold these down. Max, I need you too!" I immediately joined them, and together we held the strips, trying to absorb and put a stop to the bleeding.

"Elevate his feet!"

"Put more pressure on it, guys!"

The blood began to seep onto my hands, and I couldn't help it as tears tracked their way down my dusty face. I put more pressure onto the wound, not sure if I was doing more harm than good. I bit my lip hard, trying to focus on my hands and not on Dylan's face, on his condition, or on this whole situation.

This _sucked_.

"This is bad, Jeb," Mom whispered from beside Jon. "Really bad. His pulse is about… 300 beats per minute."

"The normal heart rate for avian recombinants is about 240. It's way too fast right now."

"Jeb, check his blood pressure."

"I'm checking it now," Jeb answered. "Get him hooked up to the Electrocardiogram, over in the corner. The generator plug-in is right behind us."

"On it."

Another few seconds, and Mom had Dylan hooked up to the heart monitor. The lights flickered at first, the EKG suctioning most of the generator's power as it powered up. But then the power balanced out, and a green line appeared on the EKG's cracked screen, signaling Dylan's heartbeat.

And then we got the sound feedback. But instead of the fast and steady "Beep. Beep. Beep." sound that all Avian-human's heart rates were supposed to be, his was a rushed and frantic "BeepBeepBeepBeep!" with little pause or space in between.

The hair on my arms prickled and my stomach dropped, and Mom and Jeb's alarm grew at the frantic pacing of his heart. I watched the erratic green line zigzag up and down uncontrollably to my right, and I felt like I was going to throw up.

"Valancia, prepare the hypodermic!" My eyes widened. I had used one of those on Fang, after his heart had stopped during one of Dr. Chu's experiments gone wrong.

"Wait!" I yelled. "Isn't that only for a low pulse rate?"

"Yes, but in case of his heart stopping, we'll need to get it back up and running," Mom elaborated, taking a large syringe out of the wheel cart and injecting something into it. After a few seconds, she held a huge needle up to the light, squirting a few drops out of the point. I tried not to cringe at how close the needle was to me. Old habits die hard.

"Is it ready?" Jeb requested.

"It's ready," Mom confirmed, over the sound of The EKG's constant beeping.

"Good," Jeb commented. "Let's hope he'll stabilize before we have to use it." Jeb looked over at our fabric strips, which were no longer dry against Dylan's chest and stomach. "Keep pressure on that, Max." For the first time in a long time, I did what Jeb asked.

"Is the saline solution in effect?" Jeb inquired. Mom held Dylan's wrist where a needle attached to the clear tube was inserted into his veins.

"Yes- it is keeping his blood-plasma levels stable. Do you have the blood pressure levels?"

Jeb nodded at Mom, a grim frown on his lips. "His Systolic and Diastolic levels are 200 over 130. That's about 1/3 faster than it should be. Valancia, he's in danger of going into Atrial Fibrillation... or Cardiac arrest."

Mom sighed as she quickly attached a water tube to one of the IV's in his arm, raising the bag to hang on a suspension bar near the EKG machine. "He's lost a lot of blood. He's going to need multiple transfusions."

Jeb shook his head. "Not if we can stop the internal bleeding. Dylan's a newer life form, with unbelievable regenerative properties."

Mom looked at Jeb quizzically. "And what does that mean?"

"If we can find the sources that are cause of the most trauma and cure them, he will ultimately regenerate the blood he's lost, as well as the bones and muscles that were torn or broken." Jeb said in a rush, using antiseptic pads to wipe away some of the blood on his hands.

"And how do we figure that out?!" Mom said, her anger at the helplessness of this situation rising. "He's got a mixture of internal and external bleeding! We don't have the technology we used to have, back before the world ended!"

"No," Jeb agreed, giving her a steady look. "But we do have mutants. Mutants that can heal." Mom's eyes widened as she got it.

She peered at me from across the table. "Sweetie, you've sent Angel mind messages before, haven't you?" She asked urgently.

I nodded. "Once," I cleared my throat of the gruffness. "I have once before." That had been before Fang split to find his own gang, and just before I had seen him die. I had sent a mental image to Angel, and she had heard me.

"Good. Tell her that we need all the healers from the meeting yesterday as soon as possible. Dylan's life depends on it."

* * *

I stared at my hands, my nervousness growing after every scientific word that I didn't understand, but guessed was bad, came out of Mom and Jeb's mouth. I was sitting in the other corner of the room, beside Jaxon's, the patient that Jeb had been tending to before we had barged in, bed.

Jaxon was a kid around thirteen, with shaggy brown hair and green eyes. He had been injured in the Fracture, when a rock fell from the cave's ceiling and cracked a few of his ribs. Unfortunately, one of his lungs had been punctured, and extra-unfortunately, he didn't have super healing like us bird kids did.  
I had met him yesterday, when the medical team and I had flown up this room to treat some of the patients. He was a nice kid, and I learned that he had the ability of super strength, much like his brother.

In fact, if Jon and I hadn't caught his older brother Henry as he was heading up to see Jaxon, we never would have been able to get Dylan out of the rubble in the first place. Now, Jaxon was either sleeping or unconscious, his heart monitor a lot steadier than Dylan's. An oxygen mask was tied around Jaxon's mouth, providing the air flow that his still healing lung couldn't.

I tightened my arms around my legs which were pulled up to my chest, kicking myself for not inviting Henry with us to infiltrate the caves this morning. If he had, Dylan would have never gotten hurt, and we probably would have been successful with clearing the rocks out.  
It was one of those things that I hadn't thought about.  
Once again, I had barged headfirst into a mission, trying to open the caves, without even a thought-out plan or safety measures beforehand.

I glared at the ground, picking at the dried blood on my palm. I was a terrible leader.

I had sent the message to Angel fifteen minutes ago, telling her to round up the healers. It had taken a lot of tries and me practically screaming the message in my head as loud as I could to get her to respond. But the minutes that they didn't show up seemed to pass by like hours. Jeb and Mom's hushed and hurried words began to blend into each other.

Mom had ordered me to sit down after I had contacted Angel, telling me that there was too many people crowded around Dylan to work. Jeb had said something about Dylan needing surgery, but they were waiting on the healers to show up so they could pinpoint the exact areas that needed crucial attention.

At this point in time, I had no idea what was going on. I felt out of the loop. I felt exhausted, and weak.

I wondered if Dylan was going to make it. But from the number of tests and the defeated wariness in Jeb's voice… It didn't sound good.

* * *

It took me a few seconds to realize that footsteps were approaching the room.

"For the last time, Angel- tell me what's going on." A deep commanding voice ordered from the hallway. _Fang. _The tears that I'd been fighting to hold back instantly trailed down my face again at the sound of his voice, and I rose from my sitting position, feeling numb and wobbly on my feet.

"Dylan's hurt," A soft voice that I immediately identified as Angel's announced. And then she was there in the doorway, with Fang following behind her. Mason and Logan, the two healers, trailed after them, eyes wide and uneasy at the urgency of the situation. Victoria and Lilia walked behind them, each looking nervous.

Fang's eyes found mine immediately, and I swallowed hard. He saw the tear tracks down my face, and then the blood on my shirt and my hands. His eyes widened.

Max," He asked urgently, gently moving past Angel. "Are you hurt?"

"No," I whispered, wiping the tears on my cheeks. "_I'm_ fine." I gestured towards Dylan's body with Jon, Jeb, and Mom hovering around him.

Fang moved his eyes back to me after a few seconds. He walked towards me and opened his arms slightly. He didn't have to ask me twice. I stumbled the distance between us and latched onto him, unable to keep from letting out a strangled sob.

"Shh…" He soothed, holding me tightly. He softly ran a hand through my hair in a comforting motion, resting his head on the top of my own. "It's gonna' be alright." I sniffled pathetically, hating myself for my weakness as I buried my head in his chest. His black shirt was grimy and dirty from a day of intense scavenging, but I didn't care. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly, trying to block out the sound of my mom and Jeb's frantic voices.

I heard Angel order the two teen boys over to the table, sounding calm even though Dylan practically looked like zombie. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Victoria and Lilia stand off to the side again, watching Dylan with wide eyes.

Fang shifted his head, but didn't stop smoothing my hair. "What happened?" He asked in a serious voice that sounded muffled to my ears.

"An accident," Jon replied, sounding exhausted and far away. "Dylan was trying to get to the back part of the caves, and the rocks fell on him when he was trying to clear a path."

"Is he…" Fang trailed off. Is he going to make it, I finished in my head, shaking slightly.

"His heart's still beating," Jeb announced quickly. I watched as he attached another needle into Dylan's arm. "But it's… failing."

I heard more cussing, and then Logan's shaky voice. "He's got multiple lacerations, and fractured bones. The biggest problem is the veins near his heart, though. Many of them have been either blocked or disconnected. His ribcage has collapsed... And the muscles in his heart are... not good."

"I'm trying to take away his pain," Mason announced, "But I can't exactly pinpoint it. It's coming from a lot of different places at once."

"Jeb, we need to start surgery!" Mom exclaimed. "It's a miracle he's still alive! That's got to mean something, right?"

Jeb nodded grimly. "He still might be able to regenerate. But then again, he might not."

"It's worth a try, Jeb." Mom said. Jeb seemed to debate with himself. We all knew what could happen if Jeb performed surgery. Dylan could die. But if Jeb didn't… Then he definitely would.

Jeb finally sighed, rubbing a hand down his face tiredly. "Val, get me my tools. I can do my best, but it's not looking good. He would need a heart transplant, as well as pulmonary surgery and numerous bypasses to the heart." Jeb looked up at Mom's helpless face. "But I don't think he's going to make it."

Fang stiffened, and I felt the breath halt in my throat. The words hit me like an electric shock, and I became consumed with waves of guilt. I was just a second away from a breakdown.

_'It's all my fault, it's all my fault'_, repeated in my mind, over and over again.

Fang never stopped stroking my hair and holding me, but I refused to let him comfort me.

_'It's all my fault…'_

"Do you have the sterilizing needles?"

"I have them."

"Mason, are you prepared to act as an anesthetic?"

"I'm ready," He replied shakily.

"I need my scalpel and my rotary saw. Logan, you're going to have to guide me. Are you prepared to do that?"

"No, but I'll try."

Jeb nodded. "That's all I'm asking for. Val, watch the EKG. If anything fluctuates, let me know."

"Okay."

"Alright, guys," Jeb said. "Here we go." I stumbled away from Fang, observing the scene with blurry eyes.

"Max," Fang soothed next to me. His voice was gentle, like he was coaxing a wounded animal. "Let's wait outside, okay?" He grabbed my arm. He tried to tug me out the door, not wanting me to see this, but I ripped my arm away from his grasp, moving away from him. I couldn't wait to find out if Dylan lived or died. It was now or never.

I was done with waiting. I needed to be here.

Jeb lowered the scalpel towards Dylan's body, the room silent except for the fast beeping of the monitor.

And just as he was about to touch Dylan's skin with the tool, a voice rang out.

"Wait!"

Jeb stopped and everyone wheeled around to face the wall by the doorway. Victoria was standing there, eyes wide, with eight-year old Lilia standing beside her.

She took a deep breath, and then repeated, "Wait." She looked down at Lilia, who signed something up at her.  
Victoria nodded at her mute little sister. "If you do surgery, you'll kill him."

Mom stepped forward, her tone hard. "Then what do you propose we do?"

Victoria swallowed thickly, as if she held the answers that would save Dylan, but would end her life or something. She squeezed her little sister's hand, and regretfully spoke out the words:

_"Lilia can save him."_

* * *

**A.N. Please review, and let me know what you think!  
Hopefully the medical stuff didn't sound too cheesy. I had a lot of help from Google!  
And I know that Max was really angsty in this chappie, but she's dealing with a big case of guilt here, even though it wasn't completely her fault.  
But this story will not be DAX! Sorry, guys that love Dylan and Max together, but I'm a FAX shipper, through and through!  
**

**So, why do you think that Victoria was reluctant to let her sister help Dylan?  
Do you think Dylan's going to live, or die?  
****  
Also, if you have any ideas that you want me to use for future scenes in the story, let me know! They can be anything, like the flock going swimming, or Max finding out who the voice really is (because it was _so_ not Angel. Sorry, JP, but that didn't even make sense in the last book.)  
I might just use them in the story!  
**


	6. Lilia

**A.N. GUYS! GUYS! I just found out some news, that I'm pretty sure you have already heard about, but I just have to acknowledge it!**

**There's going to be a NEW Maximum Ride book! **

**A new ending to the ending of the series. Like a post-ending, ending.  
**

**Honestly, I was kind of a bit mad about hearing that there was going to be a new one for reasons that I can't completely understand. But it's just like, JP had already written an ending, and I was prepared for the series to be over, and it did end. And now there's going to be a _new_ ending, so it's not over, but apparently this one is the real ending of the ending, and I'm just really confused about it.**

**I'm not sure how you guys felt about Nevermore, but personally, I didn't like it. I felt like there were so many plot holes that went unanswered in the series that didn't get answered in Nevermore, and I didn't think that the characters seemed like themselves, and GAH! I was so upset!**

**But maybe the new ending will address some of those plot holes that weren't covered in the old ending. (Plus there will be even MORE Faxness, so I'm glad about that!)**

**But it's already available for pre-order on Barnes & Nobles' website, and i****t's called Maximum Ride Forever.**

**the synopsis:**

**"THE NINTH AND ULTIMATE MAXIMUM RIDE STORY IS HERE! Legions of Max fans won't be disappointed by this encore episode in the beloved series about the incredible adventures of a teenage girl who can fly. As Maximum Ride boldly navigates a post-apocalyptic world, she and her broken flock are roaming the earth, searching for answers to what happened. All will be revealed in this last spectacular "ride"- a brand-new grand finale featuring all of the nonstop action, twists and turns that readers can rely on in a blockbuster Patterson page turner!"  
**

**Yeah, okay:**  
**It looks interesting- I love post-apocalyptic survival, and I think it will be fun to read. But don't we already know what happened to the world? The scientists had their virus plan to rid the world of 'impurities' (a.k.a. weak humans), but the world kind of went all apocalypse on itself. The sky fell from comets, probably from global warming or whatever, but I highly doubt that the scientists would be able to cause the world to collapse on itself the way that it had.  
Unless, of course, they had a scientist akin to Dr. Evil, who was like, "Fire the laser!" at the sky, setting off a comet storm and destroying the Earth.  
Okay, maybe that would never happen.  
But I'm curious to find out what JP is going to write about the world ending.  
And the flock's American exploration poses another question: What about the island?  
Isn't Max supposed to lead them?  
Is it in the FUTURE?! Where island society is already functioning, and Max and the flock go to America, years after it happened?  
So many questions.  
**

**But the more I think about it, the more I get excited about it. At least we'll get to have one more adventure with the flock! (Aside from Fanfiction, of course! ;D )**

**But yeah, I'll probably pre-order it and read it the first day it comes out. Like I have with all the other ones, because no matter how much I get upset with the books, they still keep me hooked.**

********AND ONE MORE THING!********

**You know how they were going to make a Maximum Ride movie?**

**Well, rumor is that that is a no-go.**

**Instead, they are going to have a youtube web series.**

**WHHHAAATTTT?! Yeah, that's what.**

**The New York Times posted an article on July 9th about it, and I just read it. Unfortunately, it wouldn't let me post the link, but just google "Maximum Ride web series", and it should pop up. But you should really check it out- it gives some information about it. Like, it's not scheduled to air until spring 2015. (It's by Alexandra Alter, if it helps make the search easier.)**

**So, I really didn't see this one coming, and again, I have mixed feelings about it. Apparently, they are planning on having some famous youtube personalities play some major roles on the film, so I'm a bit curious. Do you guys know any youtubers who could play Fang? (I was kind of gunning for Avan Jogia to play him, but I guess now that dream just cannot be! *sings in a Les Miserables voice*) Or any of the flock members? I can't really think of anyone off the top of my head, but idk.**

**You guys probably know all about these two things, but I would love to hear you guys' opinions on these bombshells! Do you have mixed feelings like I do? Are you excited? Scared? Angry? Indifferent? Disappointed? Ecstatic? Any other adjectives you can think of? **

**Let me know!**

**And thank you to everyone who reviewed/favorite/followed this story!**

**I also want to give a shout out to The AngelLove for that awesome review! THANK YOU! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANKY YOU! You don't know how happy your review made me, and I'm SO glad that you like the story that much! It was definitely a HUGE compliment, and it made me feel awesome! :D**

**And to MaximumRider999 (the Dylan dying comment made me laugh! I'm not a Dylan fan either, but I'm trying to mold him from a Max obsessed puppy to a strong independent man who don't need no woman! Jk, I have plans for him (just not with Max))**

**To HowlingRain (Yeah, the medical stuff took AGES! And there might be some minor character deaths later on- you'll just have to wait! And Lilia and Victoria, as well as Mason, Logan, and Jaxon are my own characters, so I get to evolve them anyway I want! I'VE GOT THE POWER! (song from Candi Milo))**

**And to the Guest(s) (who has reviewed for every chapter, and I LOVELOVELOVE reading your comments! And I already have a few off-island exploration expeditions planned for some of the flock members, so just you wait! Exciting things are in store!)**

**BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH! I will address the Voice, and I know that some people think that it was possible for Angel to be the Voice, and I'll admit that it isn't the most unrealistic thing that could happen in the series, but I don't think it made the most sense. But I have an idea of how I'm going to play the Voice out in this story, so hang tight, guys! **

**And I loved your suggestions on what you want to happen! Keep them coming- it helps me adapt my story, so please keep sending me ideas! **

**Whew! Okay, HUGE rant over! (Sorry for the word vomit!) Here is chapter 6!**

* * *

_recap:_

_"If you do surgery, you'll kill him."_

_Mom stepped forward, her tone hard. "Then what do you propose we do?"_

_Victoria swallowed thickly, as if she held the answers that would save Dylan, but would end her life or something. She squeezed her little sister's hand, and regretfully spoke out the words:_

_Lilia can save him. _

* * *

Chapter 6: Lilia 

"Come on, Lilia. You can do it. I'm right here with you." Lilia's eyes shifted nervously between her sister and Dylan, then to me and back to Victoria.

We were all huddled around Dylan's gurney, with Lilia and Victoria on the side closest to the EKG monitor. Fang was right behind me, and Angel held my hand as we all waited with baited breaths for Lilia to do something.

She signaled something to Victoria in sign language. Victoria smiled at her, nodding her head. "Yes, I'll hold your hand, silly," She said, gently taking the small girl's hand in her own.

She had said that having surgery would kill Dylan. That Lilia could save him. But I wasn't sure what Lilia could do to make this outcome any better.

"Get him on the floor," Victoria ordered, and Mom opened her mouth to protest, a confused look on her face. "So she can reach him," she elaborated. Nodding her head, Mom waved at Jeb and Jon, and they gently folded in the legs of the gurney and slowly lowered it to the ground.

Lilia looked back at Dylan with wide hazel eyes, settling onto her knees beside him. Victoria crouched down beside her, seeming to comfort Lilia with encouraging smiles and a calm façade.

The more I watched the two girls, the more it reminded me of Angel and I. When we were back in the School, Angel and I used to hold hands through the bars of our cage. And when we were in the E-house, the first few weeks after Jeb left, Angel would sleep cuddled up to next to me on the couch, so I could keep her bad dreams at bay. I had always tried my best to comfort her. To comfort all of the flock.

I wondered how Lilia came to rely on Victoria so much. How Victoria became the parent-figure to her sister. And unfortunately, I recognized Victoria's expression all too well- it's one that I used in extremely tight situations. Victoria was freaking out on the inside, and was trying to do her best to cover it up.

She was scared. Of losing Dylan? Of having Lilia fail? Was she scared _for_ her sister? I wasn't so sure. But something told me that we were about to find out.

_'Let's hope we don't,_' a small voice sounded in my head. I jumped a little at the sudden intrusion, looking down to see Angel peering up at me.

I furrowed my eyebrows._ 'Why is that, Sweetie?' _I thought back. But she only shook her head with wide eyes, looking back at Lilia again.

"Are you ready?" Victoria asked, and Lilia nodded, signing something more to her sister. "Okay. I'm right here. Go ahead."

We all watched anxiously, our hearts leaping in our chests, as Lilia raised a tiny hand over Dylan's body. She hovered her hand just an inch away from him, closing her eyes. Victoria shuffled beside her, swallowing thickly in anticipation. Seconds passed by. The EKG continued with its rapid alarm. Nothing happened...

And then the lights began to flicker.

The generator kicked, fluctuating in power, the EKG suddenly turning off, then back on. My eyes widened, and Angel clenched my hand tighter. I could feel Fang step closer, watching the scene from over my shoulder.

It was eerie, standing here in a hospital room with the lights wavering. Vaguely I was reminded of being back at the School again. When we had escaped, just moments before we had been smuggled out by Jeb, the alarms had went off. I still remembered those flickering red lights- the ones that had magnified the fear of being caught, like they had been signaling our impending capture. They had plagued my bad dreams for months after our escape.

Suddenly, a glowing golden light billowed out of Lilia's palm, settling over Dylan's body.

"Whoa!" Mason exclaimed. "Holy crap!"

"What the..." I muttered. The light radiating from her palm made her look like some kind of angel. Her curly brown hair glowed around her head like a halo. Victoria smiled down at her, although there was still a tinge of nervousness to it.

Lilia closed her eyes again after she saw that whatever she was doing was working. She took a deep breath. And then she placed her hand over Dylan's heart.

Like a pulse of lightning, the light shot through his body, starting at his chest and spreading rapidly through his veins. Mom gasped, and Logan yelped in surprise, scrambling away from the pair. I gripped Fang's arm tightly, and I glanced at him. He wasn't even bothering to hide his surprise.

"What the _hell_?" Fang breathed next to me, and I was too awestruck to reprimand him for his choice words.

But Lilia stayed concentrated, beginning to hover her hand across Dylan's body. In random places, she would place her palm back down on his skin, and the golden lights would pulse through him once more. The rhythmic lights illuminated the room, bouncing off the walls, the metal cabinets, the bottles of medicine and the glass utensils. I looked up at the ceiling, seeing the lights project onto the shadowed plaster above in random patterns.

It was impossible, otherworldly, and terrifying all at the same time. But it was… _Amazing_.

A awestruck smile slipped onto my lips as I watched the lights bounce around the room. It was beautiful. Angel grinned at me, then looked at the ceiling too. I snuck a look at Fang beside me to see him gazing around the room as well, a child-like wonder on his handsome face.

_'Max, look at Dylan!'_ Angel exclaimed in my head again, and I did.

In complete disbelief, I realized that Dylan's body was healing before my eyes with every light that passed through him. The wounds in his chest began to knit together, until there was nothing but smooth, tan skin under the flickering lights.

Dylan's broken bones realigned, and his bruises began to fade. The blood on his skin dried, and I knew that his internal damage was patching itself up as well. The tubes and needles attached to his body began to fall out by themselves as his skin healed under them.

I felt relief spread through my body, threatening to overwhelm me again. The EKG machine began to gradually transform from rapid peaked heart beats, to slow, steady, strong ones. Dylan wasn't dying. He was going to be okay!

And within moments, the normal, gorgeous and healthy Dylan lied there, looking like he had just been sleeping. Like his accident had only been a nightmare. His chest began rising and falling in rhythm, in tune to how us avian-humans were supposed breath. His lungs had healed. His wounds had healed. The steady strokes of the monitor were proof that his heart was working perfectly.

_Dylan was going to be okay! _

"Lilia?" Victoria called, panic laced within her tone.

Her voice brought me out of my internal celebration. I flicked my eyes away from Dylan's body and to Lilia, who had her brows furrowed as she tried to hold on to her power. I hadn't noticed that she had begun to shake, and now it looked like she was having a major seizure.

Victoria squeezed Lilia's hand that she hadn't let go of this whole time. "Lilia, it's okay! Dylan's okay. You can stop now." But Lilia held on, beginning to shake so much that her eyes started to flutter, dark trails of blood beginning to drip from her nose.

Dread filled my heart, and I looked to Jeb, who was frantically riffling for something in the shelves across the room.

Oh God. _This_ must be why Victoria didn't want her to heal Dylan.

"Lilia! STOP!" Victoria screamed, "You're giving too much!" Victoria yanked on Lilia's hand desperately, trying to get her away from Dylan, but it was as if Lilia was rooted to the spot.

"Max!" Angel called, tears in her eyes. I held her close to me, my stomach dropping as Lilia's power became unstable. "She's dying!"

"Mom, do something!" I yelled, but Mom was already scrambling for something on one of the cabinets. The light began to get brighter, and it became hard to look at. Fang gathered Angel and I to him, and I squinted into the light, trying to make out what was happening.

"I've got it," Jeb exclaimed to Mom. And then Jeb was running towards Lilia, the light glinting off an object in his hand.

"Wait, what is that?" Victoria exclaimed, but she wasn't fast enough. My eyes caught the tip of a needle right before Jeb stuck it into Lilia's arm, injecting her with more clear liquid.

"What did you just do!?" Victoria ordered, her voice cracking, tears dripping down her face.

For a second, nothing happened. And then the bright lights began to fade. Lilia's jerky movements began to weaken, and slowly she stopped shaking. The light disappeared from her hand, and her eyes rolled back in her head.

"Lilia!" Victoria caught her limp form as she collapsed, unconscious. Mom crouched down beside her, taking her pulse.

"What did he give her?" Victoria repeated angrily through broken sobs as she rocked her sister.

"An anesthetic," Mom rushed, standing up. "Jeb, get her hooked up. I'll check Dylan." Jeb nodded, and then Jeb was lifting Lilia up onto a gurney beside Dylan's that Mason had wheeled up from across the room.

"Max, I can't hear Lilia's thoughts," Angel whispered from beside me, wiping away some tears that tracked down her face. "You don't think that she's..."

"No, I don't." I murmured, stroking her hair. She sniffled, observing Jeb as he stuck her with an IV bag, getting her hooked up to a electrocardiogram machine of her own. "Mom gave her an anesthetic, Angel. She's just unconscious."

Angel bit her lip, trying to keep from crying. Fang put a hand on her shoulder, making her look up at him. "She can recuperate better when she's not awake. It'll give her body time to heal." Fang reassured, and I nodded beside him.

A soft beeping filled the room, and I immediately recognized it as Lilia's EKG monitor. I let out a breath of relief, hearing the non rapid sound of her heartbeat.

"Fang's right, Ange."

"Jeb!" Mom's excited voice drew our attention. "Jeb, Dylan is... well, he's fine! Perfectly healthy, with no traces of internal or external trauma. How is that possible?"

"It's _im_possible," Jeb shook his head, a wide grin on his lips, "And yet, it's not. He's really alright?"

"Completely," Mom breathed, drawing some blood from the veins in his elbow. "I'll analyze his blood content to confirm it, but I'm 99% sure that he's made a complete recovery!"

"So he'll wake up?" I asked, my voice sounding small even to my own ears.

Mom smiled at me. "He should. But give it some time, Max. He's still recovering." I nodded, but then tensed up again when Jeb swore.

"Valancia," He began, "Get me the morphine. Logan, I need you to place your hands on Lilia's stomach and her head- the bleeding is coming from somewhere, and I need to know where it is. Mason, I might need you too."

Victoria's face dropped, and she grabbed Jeb's arm. "What's happening to her?" She whispered, tears in her eyes. I noticed the blood still dripping from Lilia's nose, and held Angel tighter to me.

Jeb placed a comforting hand on her shoulder as Victoria tried so hard to stay composed. "We're going to find out."

Logan placed a hand over Lilia where Jeb had instructed him to, closing his eyes. Mom came up with a few morphine injections, handing them to Jeb.

I looked at Fang, searching his eyes. His solemn look mirrored my own.

_This was bad._

Logan blinked open his eyes. "Um..." Logan swallowed, looking up at Jeb.

"What is it?" Jeb asked softly.

Logan looked back down at Lilia then up to Victoria's fragile face and back to Jeb.

"Her brain," He whispered, swallowing again. "It's her brain."

* * *

"So he's okay, then?" Iggy asked, leaning back on his arms.

I nodded, thanking another boy who wrote his name on one of the pieces of paper in front of me.

I was surprised by how fast news travelled on the island. Almost everyone knew about Dylan's accident by now, and Lilia's hospitalization.

"Yeah. Dylan's fine. Jeb says he's going to make a full recovery."

Iggy and I were stationed on the big platform that I had given my speech on yesterday, collecting everyone's information. It was a long job, and even though we had already taken down almost twenty pages of names, we still hadn't recorded everyone yet.

When I had flown back from the caves after an hour or two of waiting, hoping for some updates on Dylan and Lilia, I had given an announcement to the islanders, letting the know that we would be taking their names, and that they should check in before it got dark. I guesstimated that it was about 3:30 now, but I felt drained. It didn't seem possible that it was still so early in the afternoon.

Before I left the caves, Dylan had still been resting. And although Mom said he could wake up any moment, she doubted that he would today. Lilia was still in the same condition as she had been in, although her nosebleed had stopped. Jeb hadn't had any information to give out on her status yet.

He said that all I could do was wait until the tests come back, and see what the results show. _All you can do is wait, Max. All you can do is wait, _repeated in my head. It seems like I've been told that a lot today.

"And the little girl's sister? How's she?"

Iggy glanced my way, his blue eyes looking at a spot just above my forehead.

"Pretty torn up, Ig." I sighed, "I don't blame her. I mean, Lilia just saved Dylan's life. He would have been dead if she hadn't helped him. And now... Lilia might be the one who... y'know."

I felt horrible for Victoria. She never once left Lilia's side the whole time, only giving blunt answers through teary eyes while her sister lay in a mysterious state beside her, almost like she was comatose.

Iggy nodded, looking down. "That's... A tricky situation."

"Yeah. Tell me about it," I murmured, tucking some hair behind my ear.

A few more teens walked up, writing their names and their skills in our ledger before wandering back to the campsite, just out of the thin collection of tropical trees we were stationed in.

"Thanks, guys," I expressed after them, smiling in what I hoped was in a convincing way.

Total trotted up through the trees, passing the group of boys who walked by, the light breeze ruffling his black fur. "Good afternoon," He wished them, grinning his toothy dog smile in greeting. Almost all of their eyes bugged out. You think that having them live on an island full of mutants, they should probably be unsurprised by seeing a talking dog.

"What the hell, man?" One of them whispered to his friend before laughing, and Total rolled his eyes, as much as a dog could do.

"Homosapiens," Total grumbled, jumping up on the platform and scampering towards Ig and I.

"What are you up to, dog breath?" I greeted, scratching behind his ear as he plopped down beside me.

"Mmm," Total hummed, "I'm going for a stroll, actually. But I wanted to come down and see how you were doing." He looked up at me expectantly.

Sighing, I looked back over the papers. "I'm okay, honestly." I answered, forcing my tone to stay light.

And truthfully? I had been so relieved when Dylan was okay. Like, the guilt had went away a bit, knowing that he wasn't hurt, and that he wasn't going to die. That we would get time to talk everything out, and hopefully dispel some of the negative tension between us.

But after he had been healed? Lilia, a little kid, might have extensive brain damage because of what happened. Because I made a mess, and an eight-year old girl had to take charge and clean it up.

"You don't sound that honest." Total reasoned, and I groaned, wiping tiredly at my eyes.

"Just drop it," I ordered, avoiding Total's scrutinizing gaze. "Dylan's alright. He's going to be okay. Just... drop it."

Iggy shook his head. "Yeah, but _you're_ not alright." My glare was wasted on him.

"Maybe you need some rest," Total supplied. "I can take over your job, and you go get some sleep."

"I'll be fine," I snapped. "Stop worrying about me." It was my job to worry about _them_, not the other way around.

Iggy reached out to touch my shoulder."Max, you can't keep holding this stuff in. Just let it out for once. We're here to listen."

"Who are you, Dr. Phil?" I replied angrily, my agitation growing by the second.

"Wait- who's Dr. Phil?" Ella asked, settling down beside Iggy. I hadn't even noticed her walk up.

Iggy grinned at her, leaning over to peck her on the cheek. "Hey, Els." Blushing, Ella giggled, holding her offending sparkly pink notebook close to her chest. Nudge plopped down by Total, sandwiching him in-between her and I.

"I bet Total is Dr. Phil," Nudge guessed, ruffling the fur on the top of his head. Total growled, stretching slightly.

"No," I elaborated. "Iggy is Dr. Phil. Total is Maury Povich."

"You are _NOT_ the father," Total exclaimed, trying to impersonate Maury. Ella laughed, and I chuckled with her.

"Soo," I began, looking at the two girls. "What have you two been up to? Soakin' up some rays?"

"Actually," Ella began, grinning at me, "we just got back from checking on Fang's team. They have some pretty good materials stocked up. And I have it all written down in here," she shook her notebook in the air proudly.

"Max, you've got to check this out! This is sososo awesome," Nudge gushed, pulling some grungy, but colorful strips out of the torn side bag she had slung over her shoulder. "Look what Fang found for me! It's fabric, Max! And I could start coming up with designs and I could finally make some clothes! Although, I think we're going to need a lot more fabric. But maybe there's a way we could make them out of leaves or something _instead_ of fabric, and then I wouldn't run out of materials so fast. Of course, I might need some sewing needles and string, but all in good time. Isn't it just awesome, though? And they're such pretty patterns, too!"

She drew in a huge breath, beaming at me. It always amazed me how she could talk so much without breathing.

"That's great, Nudge!" I was ignoring Iggy's look- I knew he still wanted to talk about my _feelings_, but I really didn't want to deal with it right now. Today had been such an emotional rollercoaster that I could use a bit of light conversation. "Pretty soon, you'll be able to open up your own clothing shop!"

She giggled, nodding happily. Her wildly tangled hair bounced with her head, and I wondered if Mom knew if there were any brushes left on the island.

"Yeah, totally!" Ella agreed, "Maybe it could be a Tj-_Max's._"

"Or a Tj-_Maximum's_!" They both started laughing, and I looked at Total, not getting their joke.

He laughed, shaking his furry head. "Tj-Max was a clothing shop, Max. Before the Fracture."

"Ah."

A group of four or so girls walked up to check in, and I moved the papers towards them.

"Do you just want our names?" A pretty redhead asked, pausing in front of the paper.

"And any mentionable skills you have," I answered, smiling at her. She grinned back, picking up the pen. I was just about to ask Ella what area of the island Fang's scavenging team was in, when the redhead decided to initiate a conversation.

"Sooo, Fang's your boyfriend, right?"

I blinked, surprised. "Uh, yeah. Why?"

She giggled, shrugging her shoulders. "He's _way_ hot." The other girls giggled around her, like some kind of annoying pack of girly hyenas.

"I guess," I agreed, wondering why they were telling me this. My temper was flaring, and I vaguely realized that jealousy was beginning to set in. Shouldn't they, you know, not be telling this to his _girlfriend_? Is this how normal girls conversed about other people's boyfriends? Because I didn't like it.

"How big are his wings?" She gushed, her friends giggling again as they each took their turns writing on the paper.

I knew for a fact that his wingspan was over 15 and a half feet, but it's not like I was ever going to tell her that. "I don't know. Why does it matter?" I was starting to get really ticked off.

She shrugged again. "No reason. Just a little... curious." She said it nonchalantly, but I swore I could detect a bit of suggestion in her tone.

I started to see red. "Yes, well, aren't all the ladies?" I commented smoothly. "Too bad he's taken. Now, if you don't mind, you're holding up the line." Plastering a sweet smile on my face, I got a tiny bit of satisfaction when she looked a little embarrassed.

Iggy snickered beside me, and I resisted the urge to punch him.

"Right," She said, giving a little cough. "Well, I was just wondering, that's all. It would be really cool to have wings." But somehow I knew what she really wanted to say: 'It would be really cool to have _Fang_.'

"Yeah, it's pretty cool." I admitted, trying to keep my leader face on, addressing both her question and her unspoken one, whether she knew it or not. "It's awesome. Better than anything."

The redhead nodded. "I thought so." then giving me a fake smile, she turned back towards her gal-pals. "Well, it was nice meeting you!" She called over her shoulder.

"Oh, it was the cherry on top of my freaking _perfect_ day," I grumbled, out of earshot of her and her friends.

And after they had completely disappeared from the clearing, Iggy and Nudge burst out laughing beside me, Ella giggling through her attempts to remain neutral.

I groaned, putting my head in my hands. Would this day _ever_ end?

* * *

**A.N. Alright! So this has been an intense last couple of chapters! And the next chapter has lots of FAX and cuteness!**

**PLEASE REVIEW! :D**

**And thanks for the awesome reviews so far! Keep 'em coming!**

**Also, if you have any predictions for the new Maximum Ride book, let me know!**  
**I personally think that Fang's going to find his gang again in the States, because I don't think JP will have had them just die and then have them not be involved in the flock's expedition of apocalyptic America.**


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